Beach Day
by Raykushi
Summary: Hikaru's class takes a field trip to the beach, but Sai seems particularly uncomfortable today. Drabblefic, done for the HnG Dreamwidth Drabblefest. Word count: 898


Title: Beach Day

Author: Raykushi

Disclaimer: Rights to Hikaru no Go belong to Yumi Hotta and others. This is a fan piece only and no monetary gain comes from its publication.

Prompt: Characters in any setting not Go-related

Summary: Hikaru's class takes a field trip to the beach, but Sai seems particularly uncomfortable today.

Warnings: none

Pairings: none

Word count: 898

Beach Day

"Hikaruuuu! Get out of the water! Get out!"

Hikaru sighed and turned back to the beach. _I'm fine!_ he mentally called for the fifth time, one hand raised toward the distraught figure on the shore. Unlike the other people dotted along the sand and surf, the figure he was waving at was not a middle school student, nor was it wearing beach-appropriate trunks or swimsuit.

"But Hikaaaruuuuu!" whined the ancient spirit, flailing long white sleeves up and down.

"Who the hell are you waving to, Shindou?"

"Uh. . . ." Hikaru turned back to his schoolmate Mitani, standing in the knee-deep water next to him. "Uh, thought I saw someone from my class over there."

The redhead scowled at him. "If you don't start paying attention to the game instead of the beach, you're going to get hit with the ball. So wake up!" He then turned back to the net strung across the shallow water. Tossing the white ball up in the air, Mitani pulled an arm back and slapped the ball hard over the net, driving it over toward the other players.

Hikaru sloughed through the shallow waves and tried to get into position for the return volley from the other team, his brows creased together in annoyance. It was bad enough he got roped into this game during their school field trip just because some upperclassman had challenged Mitani. But as soon as he heard where they were going for the day, Sai had started fussing and hadn't stopped since.

_I guess it makes sense. . . ._ Hikaru thought to himself. After all, Sai had told him he had drowned himself when he had been alive. As Hikaru watched the ball sail to the far left—Mitani attempting a rescue with a frantic dive—he realized that the ocean probably made Sai upset. Now that he thought about it, Sai never went near any body of water. He stayed on the far side of Hikaru when they walked anywhere near one of the city's waterways. He was quick to hurry Hikaru along when they went over a bridge. He didn't even appear in the bathroom when Hikaru took a bath (though the boy always assumed the spirit was just respecting his privacy).

"Eeeeek, Hikaru! Look out!"

_What now!_ Hikaru turned back to the beach to give Sai his best warning glare. Sai was pointing upward. Hikaru started to turn to follow the outstretched sleeve—until something slammed into the side of his head hard enough to knock him facedown in the water.

With his throbbing head, things got hazy and slow after that. Hikaru's body seemed to forget how to obey his brain's commands. He tried to get his arms down on the sand to push himself upright, some muted warning in his head saying that getting up quick was essential to living, but only managed to flail around helplessly. He inhaled a mouthful of water and started to choke.

He must have turned right side up, though he didn't remember being that coordinated, because the next thing he was aware of was the sun shining directly down into his eyes, blindingly bright and painful to his retinas. The intense white light felt like it was stabbing directly through his eyes, but the air on his face meant it was safe to draw in a deep, sputtering breath. A dark smudge of a silhouette superimposed itself into his line of vision.

"Hikaru! Are you all right!"

"Sai?" Hikaru muttered, dazed. Slowly the sunlight toned down. The blue sky came back into focus, and the worried faces around him developed like an old-fashioned photograph. The volleyball players had clustered around to make sure he was okay. The white ball floated in the waves off to the side, forgotten. Standing directly over Hikaru in the knee-deep water, gazing down with dark eyes wide with worry, was the ancient go player.

Hikaru gently prodded the side of his face, wincing at the pain radiating from his temple and cheek bone. Nothing felt broken though. "Aren't you afraid of the water, Sai?" he muttered out loud, unthinking.

"Iiiie!" The spirit yelped and appeared to jump straight up out of the water. Faster than humanly possible, he was standing back in his previous position on the shore once again. Hikaru looked over and noticed the white robes weren't darkened with water, just as they didn't get damp when Sai walked in the rain.

Hikaru shook his head and climbed back to his feet slowly. He waved off his concerned schoolmates, assuring them that the ball's impact hadn't left more than a bruise. He had to endure one of the teachers coming over and looking in his eyes to make sure he hadn't gotten a concussion, but soon enough Hikaru was turned loose and allowed to go back to the game.

After that, Sai was quiet. Occasionally Hikaru glanced over and saw the spirit standing guard on the beach, his fan out to hide all but his watchful eyes.

At the end of the day the students lined up by the buses, ready to file in and be driven back to the city. Sai stood next to Hikaru, unnerving the boy with his silence. Hikaru looked up at his friend and mentor. _I'm really okay, Sai,_ he assured him.

With a quiet snap Sai folded and lowered his fan, giving the boy a smile. "I'm glad."


End file.
